The present invention relates generally to a shield connector which assures that shieldability of the shield connector is improved by setting many grounding contact points. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvement of a shield connector of the foregoing type having a structure for connecting a shield cable to a shield connector housing via a shield connecting member.
To facilitate understanding of the present invention, two typical conventional shield connectors will be described below with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional shield connector having a structure for connecting a shield cable to a shield connector housing, particularly illustrating essential components for the shield connector in the disassembled state.
In the drawing, reference numeral 70 designates a shield connector housing, reference numeral 71 designates a shield cable to be connected to the shield connector housing 70, reference numeral 72 designates an upper shield connector housing half made of an electric conductive material to cover the shield connector housing 70 and the base end of the shield cable 71 therewith, and reference numeral 73 designates a lower shield connector housing half to be connected to the upper shield connector housing half 72 as an opponent member.
The shield cable 71 consists of a plurality of sheathed cables 74 to be electrically connected to terminals (not shown) in the shield connector housing 70, a netting shield 75 surrounding all the sheathed cables 74, and an outer shield 76 made of an electric insulative material to surround the netting shield 75. A foremost end part 75a of the netting shield 75 is rearwardly folded onto the outer sheath 76. The lower shield connector housing half 73 provides a receiving portion 77 made of an electric conductive material to receive the folded part 75a of the netting shield 75, and the shield cable 71 is connected to the lower shield connector housing half 73 by fixedly holding the folded part 75a at the receiving portion 77 in cooperation with an engagement fitting portion 78.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another conventional shield connector disclosed by Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application (OPI) No. Sho. 60-19159, particularly illustrating essential components for the conventional shield connector in the disassembled state.
The shield connector designated by reference numeral 81 provides as essential components a connector housing 82 and covers 83 and 84 each made of a metallic material and located opposite to each other outside of the connector housing 82, and electrical shielding is achieved with the shield connector 81 by fitting both the covers 83 and 84 to each other to bring one of them in contact with the other.
A contact projection 86 is formed on a connecting portion 85 of the cover 84, while an elastic contact portion 88 is formed on a connecting portion 87 of the cover 83 to cooperate with the contact projection 86 in order to improve connectability between both the covers 83 and 84. A shield cable 89 connected to the shield connector 81 is grounded by rearwardly folding a netting portion 90 of the shield cable 89 and then fixedly securing the folded netting portion 90 to the cover 84 by fastening a pair of fitting portions 91 to each other by tightening screws 92.
However, with the conventional shield connector constructed as shown in FIG. 5, when the shield cable 71 is forcibly pulled in the rearward direction as represented by an arrow mark E after the shield connector is assembled, there often arises a problem that the folded part 75a of the netting shield 75 is dislocated away from the receiving portion 77 of the lower shield connector housing half 73, resulting in the electrically connected state being lost. Another problem is that the folding operation performed for the foremost end part of the netting shield 75 is troublesome and time-consuming.
In addition, with the conventional shield connector constructed as shown in FIG. 6, since electrical connecting is achieved merely by bringing both the connecting portions 85 and 87 on both the covers 83 and 84 in contact with each other, and moreover, a pair of fitting portions 91 fastened to each other by tightening the screws 92 are readily loosened, there arise problems that spring properties of the elastic contact portion 88 are degraded and an grounding capability of the shield connector can not satisfactorily be maintained for a long time.